Topping out and a Royal opening

We are all looking forward to next Monday’s event in Wichelstowe, Swindon where we will welcome our Patron, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall on to our trip boat Dragonfly for the journey  to the new landing stage outside the Waitrose store. The Duchess will then alight, meet invited guests, and unveil a commemorative plaque on the landing stage.  It is hoped that the visit will prove a boost for the “Wichelstowe Link” project, that is, joining up the restored section of the original line at Kingshill with the new length of canal that has been built through East Wichel. The link will include a junction where the main line will continue towards Royal Wootton Bassett.

Last Friday Melksham, Calne and Chippenham branch of the Trust celebrated the completion of the rebuilt culvert that carries Cocklemore Brook under the canal at Pewsham. This culvert was breached during the heavy rains in December 2013 and has been completely rebuilt by volunteers from the branch who received £10000 from Yorkshire Building Society (YBS) to buy the materials. The Rotary Club of Chippenham has also contributed £200. The last brick in the culvert was put in place by Lee Hathaway, Manager of the Bristol branch of YBS watched by the local MP, Michelle Donelan, the Mayor of Chippenham, Councillor David Powell, Trust Chairman Roderick Bluh and many volunteers from the branch.  The culvert will now be covered with clay over the next few weeks and then the canal will be put back into water over the top of it. This in turn will allow work boat Boswell and her butty to be moved along the canal.

The planned excavation at Studley Grange has suffered some issues that have caused a slight delay, but we are optimistic that it should be starting in a week or so. Graduate Kate Jones has started work on the community engagement programme for the Wildlife Trail. She would be very interested to hear from groups in Royal Wootton Bassett and Swindon who would like to be involved in some way – kate.jones@wiltshire.gov.uk  or who would just like to visit the site in the Autumn when the towpath is open to the public.

Kath Hatton